Forms

Forms Case Study

The FORM section consists of several user requirements that we will call Hands-On Oracle Form Builder. In these Hands-On, your client is a company that keeps track of its customers� orders. You have been assigned to develop a customer order data entry application based on their requirements.
These are designed to challenge your skills in developing user�s friendly applications. Assuming, you as a developer gathered the requirements during prototyping sessions with the client, using the Rapid Application Development (RAD) model.

Introduction to From Builder
Oracle Developer tool
Oracle Developer Tools contain �back-end� and �front-end� development tools.

Back-End development tool
The �Back-End� development tool consists of:
Schema Builder,
Query Builder, and
Procedure Builder.

Front-End development tool
The �Front-End� development tool consists of:
Form Builder,
Report Builder, and
Graphics Builder.

Introduction
In this Hands-on book, we focus on the Form Builder tool, a FRONT-END development tool. You use the Form Builder tool to simplify the creation of data-entry screens or Forms. Forms are the applications that connect to a database, retrieve information requested by the user, present it in a layout specified by the form�s designer, and allow the user to modify or add information. Form Builder allows you to build forms quickly and easily.

Form Builder components
The main Form Builder components are:
FORM modules,
MENU modules,
PL/SQL libraries, and
Object libraries.

Form Module
The Form Module is a binary program code that is generated by Form Builder (fmb).

Menu Module
The Menu Module is a binary menu code that should be compiled and used by the Form Module (mmb).

PL/SQL libraries
The PL/SQL libraries are storage for stored procedure (pll).

Object Libraries
The Object libraries are storage for FORM objects.
The main objects in a Form module are:
Windows,
Blocks,
Items, and
Canvases.

Windows
Window is an empty frame to hold your object and it is the outermost boundary for a form.

Blocks
Block is a logical container that holds form objects such as data items and control buttons. There are two types of block: Data Block and Control Block. A Data Block is a link to your database information and holds database data. A Control Block holds information that has nothing to do with database.

Items
An item could be a database column or none database item. A canvas is a place to hold the objects.

Canvases
The four types of canvases are: Content, Stacked, Tab, and Toolbar. All can coexist within a single window. A content canvas is the basic background for all windows. A stacked canvas lays on top of the others. A tab canvas is the same as stacked canvases with handy �tabs� at the top. It can simply move from one canvas to another. A toolbar canvas contains push buttons giving users quick access such as horizontal canvas or vertical canvas.

Object Navigator
When you open the Forms Builder tool, the first window you will see is the Object Navigator window. The Object Navigator will be used on all development tools. It gives you a hierarchical listing of all the modules open in your current session. You use this listing to navigate to, and work on, those objects. It gives you access to all database objects you own or have grant to, and a list of all the built-in functions and procedures. Clicking on the plus sign next to an object in the Object Navigator will expand the object and clicking on the minus sign will collapse the object.

Property palette
Oracle tools are somehow follow object oriented methodology. Although they are not pure object oriented but there are not far from it either. Each item in the Oracle tools can be identified as an object. To manipulate an object, you use Property Palette. As you can see from now on, you can do much without property palette. A Property Palette contains object properties. The contents of the Property Palette are referred to as the �Property sheet� for the object. You use the Property Palette to modify object properties. To open the Property Palette of an object, go to the object and right click on the mouse button then select Property Palette. The Property Palette provides complete control over your objects. It contains the property list of an object. Remember that the properties of an object can be changed to control the behavior of the object. The Item properties such as Tooltip, Hint, and Display Hint automatically, will be used to provide item-level assistance for the client and can be changed only from property palette. A text item appearance can be modified by manipulating properties such as Justification, or Format Mask properties. For controlling the data within a text item or display item, you can use properties such as Calculation Mode, and Lowest and Highest value.

Data Block Wizard tool
You can use the Data Block Wizard tool to create and modify data blocks.

Layout Wizard tool
You can also use the Layout Wizard tool in Form Builder to create, and modify forms quickly and efficiently. The Layout Wizard asks you a series of questions and then generates a basic form that fulfills the criteria you have specified. You can later use the Layout Wizard to modify the form if you want to change its fundamental design or contents. You always can modify the layout manually to better suit your applications� needs.


Questions:
Q: What are the Oracle Developer Tool components?
Q: The Back-End development tool consists of ______
Q: The Front-End development tool consists of ______
Q: The Form Builder components are _____
Q: What is a Form Module in the Form Builder?
Q: What is a menu module in the Form Builder?
Q: What do you store in a PL/SQL library?
Q: What do you store in an Object Library?
Q: What are the main objects of a Form Module?
Q: Describe a window object in a Form Module?
Q: What is a block in a Form Module?
Q: What is an item in a From Module?
Q: Describe a canvas in a Form Module?
Q: What are the types of canvases in a Form Module?
Q: Describe the Object Navigator in a Form Module?
Q: Describe property palette in a Form Module?
Q: What does a property palette for an object contain in a Form Module?
Q: Describe the Data Block Wizard tool?
Q: Describe the Layout Wizard tool?